


Glimpses of the Future

by kmj07



Category: X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-27
Updated: 2020-06-27
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:34:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24950080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kmj07/pseuds/kmj07
Summary: Here's a few of Stella's visions come to pass, as per Star Light, Star Bright. Definitely needed to understand! Cross-posted from fanfiction.net





	1. Chapter 1

A Dress Shop

"Do ya think he'll like it?" Genni asked, watching her own reflection as she twirled in the cheerful yellow dress.

"Honey, if Connor doesn't like that dress, he's an idiot, and I'll knock him over the head for you," Ronnie promised, before sipping her champagne carefully to avoid spilling on her own dress.

"And I'll gladly help," Claire added gleefully, somehow managing to look effortlessly glamorous while lounging in a dress shop chair.

"As long as it's after I've said I do, I don't care. Now, you girls all have your dresses, but I still haven't found mine. How is that possible?" I may have been a bit panicked, but there was good reason for it. The wedding was only two weeks away, after all.

"Stell, you could show up in a burlap sack and Alex would still think you're the most beautiful woman in the world," Ronnie said exasperatedly.

"But it's her wedding!" Claire countered. "She's got to look better than she's ever looked in her life. Which is hard, because you are so fine."

"What about this dress?" Genni was still wearing her dress, but she was holding a tulle and lace creation that I wasn't so sure about.

"That will make me look three miles wide," I said, but the other girls overrode my objections.

"It will look perfect on you," the shopgirl gushed.

"And you're trying it on," Claire pushed. Literally. She pushed me into the changing room with the dress. "And you're not going to come out until you've tried it on," she added with a grin, then shut the door on me.

With a sigh, I tried it, grumbling the whole time. But once I looked at the mirror, the grumbles ceased. The lace overlay of the bodice contrasted nicely with the olive tone of my skin, and the waist of the tulle skirt was raised slightly, so my hips didn't look gigantic.

"Stell? Are ya alrigh' in there?" Claire sounded concerned, but I was too busy staring at my reflection to open the door.

"Ya hate it. Ah'm so sorry, Stell! Ah neva shoulda suggested it. Ah knew it-"

I cut off Genni's worried ramblings with a quickly opened door. "It's perfect!" I declared triumphantly.

The girls all agreed with me, oohing and awing and fluttering over me as they examined all the tiny details of the dress. The satin ribbon at the waist was declared perfection, and the fact that the skirt hit at just the right spot on my calf, even for being so short, was nothing less than divine. The shopgirl took note of the few tiny alterations needed and promised to have our shoes dyed to match the other girls' dresses, then we sadly had to take them off.

The four of us changed back into our street clothes, before Claire payed for our dresses, but only after a quick argument. "Remember, this is my present to you and Alex. Charles may be paying for the rest of the wedding, but I am making sure that the wedding party is adequately dressed." We were far too used to her overly pompous ways to even call her out on them.

"I'm famished. Lunchtime?" Ronnie asked, and we quickly agreed. We found a little bistro tucked away nearby, and soon enough had our lunches in front of us.

"So, Stell, are you finally going to tell us which one of us is your maid of honor?" Claire asked, all but bouncing out of her seat.

"Yes, we really do need to know," Ronnie added.

"The weddin' is in two weeks," Genni reminded.

I laughed a bit nervously. "Well, I've been doing some thinking," I started slowly, "and talking with Alex, and-"

"Good gravy, just tell us already!" Genni burst out.

I laughed again. "Well, we've decided that we won't have a maid of honor or best man. I can't choose between the three of you, and Hank, Sean, and Piotr are all his best friends, too, so there will only be bridesmaids and groomsmen."

Silence greeted my announcement, and I waited nervously for their reactions. It took them a few moments, but all three of them burst into speech at the same time.

"That's a fantastic idea!"

"Ya'll are geniuses!"

"As long as Claire didn't get it, I'm fine with anything."

Laughing, we spent the rest of lunch on last minute wedding plans.

…

"You've got to talk to him, querida," Alex gently reminded me later that day. We were taking a walk through the garden at the school, supposedly to work on wedding plans. Really, we'd spent most of the time making out, since I'd just come back from the city for the first time in weeks.

"I know," I sighed. "I just don't know how to bring it up in conversation."

"Just ask him, Stell. He won't bite," he said with a grin.

"Okay, okay, I'll go now," I laughed.

"But not until I kiss you again."

After Alex had kissed me several times more, we finally headed back inside. "I've got to work on designing the cake with Sean. You go talk to him," he said, sending me up the stairs.

Once up the flight of stairs, I walked down the hall, but hesitated at the door. "Stella, you may come in," came Charles's voice from inside the room, with more than a hint of amusement.

Gathering up my courage, I pushed open the door to reveal Charles with a wide smile on his face. One that fell once he saw my face. "What's wrong, Stella? Did something happen with Alex?"

"No. No, of course not. Alex is fine. I just- I need to ask you something."

"Of course. Anything. What is it?"

Just hearing Charles's smooth British voice calmed me down. "Well, you know I don't have any family, any biological family left to come to the wedding. And you know I've never actually known my father, so-"

"So you'd like me to find him for you?" he asked, a gentle smile on his face.

"You can do that? I mean, I know you did it for Sophie, but she knew who he was, just not where." I was a bit amazed at the possibility.

"I can try. For you, Stella, I can try. I want your wedding day to be perfect, and if that means having your father here for it, I will do everything in my power to find him and get him here so he can walk you down the aisle," Charles vowed.

"That's sweet," I said, tearing up a bit. "But that's not actually what I was going to ask you. I'm fine not knowing who he was. He's never been a part of my life, so I'm not missing anything. No, I wanted to ask you to do it. To walk me down the aisle."

Charles was silent. He simply looked at me with a puzzled expression. Panicking, I started to babble. "I mean, only if you want to. But you've been there for me, for both of us, really, and Alex and I wanted you to be a part of the wedding. And you've been more like a father to both of us than our biological fathers, not that you're old or anything, and-"

"Stella, I've never been so honored in my life," he said softly, cutting me off. Wheeling himself around his desk, he came to a stop next to me. He took my hand in his and continued. "It would be my honor to walk you down the aisle on your wedding day."

"You'll have to wear a daffodil on your suit," I warned him, laughing a bit wetly.

Charles beamed. "If it made you happy on your wedding day, I would wear an entire garden."

…

The girls whisked me away after the rehearsal dinner as the boys took Alex, though they did allow us one last kiss first. Ronnie even took a photo of it, calling it my last kiss as a single girl. We spent the night in our old dorm room, and they pampered me with a manicure, pedicure, and some ridiculous face mask that Ronnie brought. "Jackie O swears by it," she assured, spreading more goop on my face.

We talked, and laughed, and drank a bit, though I refused to drink enough to get drunk. "I'm not going to have a hangover for my wedding day, and none of you are, either," I declared, taking Claire's fourth glass of wine away.

The four beds ended up pushed together, and we lounged in a tangle of arms and legs. "Has it sunk in yet, Stell? That you're getting married tomorrow?" Claire asked.

"Yes and no," I laughed. "Sometimes, it feels like I've waited forever for it to get here, and other times, it feels like the past five years have flown by."

"How does it feel to be the first one of us to get married?" Ronnie questioned.

"Well, I've beat you all, so great! But don't worry. We'll still do this when each of you get married, too. We've just started a tradition."

"One that'll be repeated in anotha five months," Genni grinned over at Claire.

Who promptly replied, "Four months, three weeks, and four days."

"Not that she's counting!" Ronnie and I cried together.

"And Connor's going to propose soon. I mean, he's got to. He's crazy about you, Gen," Claire said.

"That just leaves me as the odd girl out," Ronnie sighed dramatically. "At least until Sean Connery figures out who I am."

…

Morning came bright and early, with Geni bouncing on me and squealing, "Ya're gettin' married today!" I didn't have a minute of peace after that, as the girls swarmed around getting me, and themselves, ready. Alex and Hank brought breakfast for the four of us, though Claire and Ronnie took the trays from them quickly, then shut the door in their faces. "I love you! But Alex can't see Stella until the wedding. It's bad luck!" Claire called through the door. We could hear them laughing as they went to join the rest of the boys.

It was just after nine-thirty that I was declared perfect, then the girls did their own finishing touches. "Alright, I'm going to make sure that Alex is outside where he should be, and not sneaking around to catch a glimpse of you," Ronnie announced. A few minutes later, she declared the coast clear.

The four of us made our way down to the library, where Charles was waiting. "You all look absolutely beautiful," he beamed at us.

Sophie, my little flower girl, dutifully handed each of us our bouquets with all the solemnity of a state affair. Each of us had to stifle laughter so we didn't offend her, but it was very hard. "You look very beautiful, as well," I told her, and she adorably blushed.

Connor stuck his head in the door and took us all in, though his gaze did linger quite a while on Genni. "You girls are all ready, then?"

"Absolutely," Claire proclaimed with a nod. Her twin nodded back, then left to have the violinist start.

It was then, as the music started, that the flamingos hibernating in my belly suddenly woke and took flight. I started to shake with sudden nerves, though I had no idea why. "Stella, calm down," Charles said quietly, but that was enough to get Claire's attention.

"Estrella Rosana Castellanos, you listen to me right now. You are madly in love with Alex, and he with you, and there is no reason to panic. Do you hear me?"

Her words penetrated the anxiety rolling around in me. I looked to her, and calm anticipation flowed through me. I knew it was partly her, and possibly Ronnie, but I didn't care. This was what I wanted, more than anything, and I wasn't going to let a little anxiety over what the future might hold for us to stop it.

"I hear you," I grinned at her. "Let's get this show started."

Genni sent Sophie out first with her little basket of petals, then followed the little girl out, after giving me a huge hug. Ronnie followed, giving me a squeeze on her way out, then Claire, who also threw her arms around me, after throwing my veil over my face quickly. And then it was just me and Charles left.

"Are you ready, Stella?" he asked with a smile.

"Absolutely," I said, echoing Claire.

We left the library through the double doors, following the path to the side lawn. Then, just as the violinist started to play the wedding march, Charles stopped me. "I've got something for you," he said, then, before I could even wonder what it might be, he parked his wheelchair and shakily stood up. "Hank and I have been working on this for the past two weeks. I wanted to walk you down the aisle, not wheel you."

Tears threatened, but he stopped me with humor. "Claire would murder me if I made you cry and caused your mascara to run. Now, I believe we have somewhere to be."

Charles tucked my arm in his, and we turned the corner to where everyone was waiting. I saw the small crowd of our friends, family, really, but then I caught sight of Alex, and nothing else mattered. He watched me as we made our way down the aisle, and the awe in his eyes nearly brought me to tears again.

The ceremony was a blur. I wasn't even aware of saying anything, but I apparently said all the right things, as the priest declared us man and wife. And then Alex was kissing me, and I knew it was the very best decision I could have ever made.


	2. Chapter 2

A Dingy Bar and a Surgical Table

Eleven months, two weeks, and three days after our wedding, Hank confirmed my suspicions. I could hardly concentrate for the rest of the day, and I felt like I was floating. I couldn't wait until dinner was over and I could talk to Alex alone. My students teased me for my absent mindedness, but they didn't really mind. Not when it meant I forgot to give them the test I'd planned for the day.

But my feet thumped thoroughly to the ground when I saw Alex's face. He was waiting outside my classroom, and a letter was in his hands.

I'm not proud to admit that I didn't react well. I crumpled to the ground, sobbing until I was sick. My emotions were already heightened, the timing was terrible, and this was just the devastating last straw.

With me so distraught, Alex was worried so much that he called to Charles, who then brought Hank and Claire with him. "You've got to do something for her, Hank," he said over the sounds of my sobs as he pulled me into his lap. "I've never seen her like this. You've got to give her something."

"NO!" Hank shouted in tandem with me. "I can't give her anything, not now," he continued.

Of course, Alex, Claire and Charles were confused. But the thought of that little life inside me brought me back to my senses somewhat. "He can't give me anything because we're going to have a baby, Alex."

My husband froze, simply stared at me for the longest time. Just when I thought he had slipped into shock, a smile slowly grew across his face until he was beaming. "A baby? Stell, you're incredible!" He kissed me, softly, gently, like I might break. "A baby. Charles, Hank, I'm going to be a daddy!"

"Congratulations, Alex, Stella," Charles said, smiling softly.

The full weight of the situation seemed to come down on Alex then. "Oh, Stell," he whispered. "I'm so sorry."

"It's alright," I said, faking a brave smile. "It will only be a year, and then you'll come back and it will be like you were never gone."

"And you'll miss all the cranky hormonal pregnancy time, too, lucky dog," Claire said, throwing in some much needed levity.

We made it down to the dining room eventually, where Alex announced my pregnancy to everyone. There was lots of hugs, and handshakes, and words of encouragement, and plenty of teasing Scott about being an uncle. And no one said a word about Vietnam, or the Army, or drafts.

Later that night, all alone in our room, Alex wrapped himself around me, much like he did every night, but with much more urgency. He covered my still flat belly with his hands, as if he would shield our baby from the world that way. We didn't speak for a long time, we just enjoyed holding onto one another.

"What if we went to Canada?" he breathed into my ear, like he was afraid to speak any louder, just in case someone might overhear.

I turned in his arms, brushing his hair away from his face. "Dodge the draft, you mean?"

He nodded, avoiding my gaze. "If that's what you want me to do, I would do it. I'm sure Charles would help. After all, he's a pacifist. He's been opposed to the war all along. Heck, I don't even agree with it."

I studied his face for a moment, but he still refused to look at me. "You would do that for me?"

Alex nodded again. "I know this is killing you, Stell. We could go to Canada, and then I would be there for you during the whole… for the baby. And the war can't last forever. We'll just come back when it's over."

"But it would kill you in the process," I said, knowing his sense of honor all too well. "You would hate yourself, and that would kill me."

He buried his head in my neck. "I have to go, Stell," he said, words a bit muffled. "I love this country. And even though I hate the general with every fiber of my being, he instilled that love in me, and honor, and duty, and I can't avoid it. I have to do this."

"I know," I whispered, tears slipping out of my clenched shut eyes. "I know."

Alex relaxed minutely, and we held each other all night long. Neither of us slept that night.

…

Our friends took the news of Alex's draft relatively well for the most part. After all, James had been drafted six months previously, and Connor had started Officer Candidate School three months before that. And Hank had been spending most of his time in the city, working with Howard Stark on top-secret projects for our boys. So our men leaving the school was no real surprise, though we weren't sure how many more we could lose before the school would have to be shut down.

The few weeks we had left before Alex had to report to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri for boot camp were spent caught between desperately striving for normalcy and frantically trying to cram as much time together as we could in what time we had remaining. And it didn't help that I was unbelievably sick more than half the time. "I swear your spawn is trying to kill me," was something I frequently spat at him.

As much as we wanted to keep the time from passing, it slipped through our fingers far faster than we wished. And then it was time to say goodbye.

The students all stood in a row so he could shake their hands, though several of the younger ones rushed him with hugs. But as soon as the last one was past, Rachel and Lucy gave him a hug, then ushered them all back inside.

Alex turned to those of us left and gave us all a smile, one that we all knew to be false. "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Nothing can hurt me."

A sob escaped my throat before I could stop it, and it seemed to shoot Scott toward his brother. "I don't want you to go," he wailed.

Alex simply held his brother, whispering in his ear while rubbing his back soothingly. When Scott pulled back at last, Alex said aloud, "I'm counting on you."

Scott nodded, then, without warning, ran away. I knew he would end up in the bunker and made a mental note to check up on him. If I could.

Alex made his way through the row of us adults, giving hugs or shaking hands as he went. Sean clung to him for a moment, then said, "If you don't come back, I'll go over there and drag you back myself."

That brought a laugh to us all, though it may have had a slightly hysterical tinge to it.

When it was Charles's turn, they clearly had a mental conversation, ending with Charles nodding solemnly. "It would be my honor, Alex."

And then he was standing in front of where I was, flanked by my best friends. Ronnie was stuck in Washington, but she had promised to fly back as soon as she could. Claire and Genni, however, were on either side of me, holding me tightly. "I'm counting on you girls to take care of Stell for me," Alex said with a sad smile.

"Nowhere else I'd rather be, oh, captain, my captain," Claire quipped, but I noticed her lip tremble.

"We've got her," Genni assured quietly.

He seemed a little relieved at that. Both girls hugged him, then took a few steps back to give us privacy.

I stared at him, not knowing what to say. After all, what did one say when the love of one's life went off to war? Thankfully, he knew what to do.

I was in Alex's arms in an instant, and his lips were on mine before I could blink. He kissed me fiercely, desperately. "I love you, querida," he whispered, then kissed me again.

We would have kissed forever if not for Hank. He cleared his throat awkwardly, yet with an understanding look on his face. "We've got to go if you're going to make your flight," he said apologetically.

Alex gave me one last kiss. "I'll write every day," he promised.

"And so will I, my pretty boy Yanqui," I smiled, even for the tears streaming down my face.

He smiled back at my nickname for him, then turned toward Hank's car. I watched as they drove down the long driveway, then finally broke down once they were out of sight.

…

I managed to get through Alex's month of boot camp, but only just barely. Genni was my constant rock, and Claire and Ronnie visited as often as they could, bringing a much needed cheer with them, even if they were forcing it just a bit. My students were so kind, and most of them even worked a little harder than they normally would, even without my encouragement. But Scott was the biggest surprise.

Every morning, he brought me crackers and juice, something Alex and I had learned very quickly was the only way to settle my stomach in the morning. And then he ate nearly every meal with me, sharing different stories about Alex as we ate. Sometimes the others would join in, but more often than not, it was just us two, with Genni quietly observing. He seemed determined to take care of me for his brother.

Sadly, Sean seemed to be handling Alex's absence even worse than I was. Most every night he disappeared, and he didn't come back until very late. And he always came back smelling like smoke and alcohol, and sometimes worse things. He wandered around the school in a fog, not noticing or even caring what was going on around him.

...

Once Alex graduated from boot camp, he was allowed one phone call before he shipped out. Everyone wanted to hear his voice and be able to talk to him, so Charles allowed us to use the telephone in his office, as it had a speakerphone. We all talked over one another in our excitement, and it was absolutely divine to hear his laugh. Then, he requested a moment to talk to Charles, then Sean, followed by Scott. Finally, that left me, and everyone graciously left the room to give me some privacy.

"Hello, querida." Just to hear those words again made my heart squeeze, and I swear I felt the baby jump.

We talked of everything, and nothing, and I loved every minute of it. Finally, just before he had to go, Alex paused for a moment, the way I knew he did just before saying something important. "Some of the guys are talking about getting on a different plane when we get to Seattle." My heart pounded. I knew exactly what he meant. "I would do it. If you want me to."

But I knew what my answer would be, even before he asked. "I will see you in a year, my pretty boy Yanqui, and there will be a beautiful baby waiting to meet his daddy."

I heard a wet chuckle from the other end of the line. "A boy, huh?"

"Sean and Piotr are convinced it's a boy," I explained. "And Claire is adamant that it's a girl, so of course Hank agrees. But I think it's going to be a beautiful little boy who has his daddy's blue eyes."

"And his mama's gorgeous curls," he said, laughing again. There was shouting in the background, then he shouted something back, before coming back to me. "I'm sorry, querida, but I've got to go. I love you."

"I love you, too. I will see you in a year," I practically ordered.

"Eleven months, three weeks, and six days," he agreed. "I love you, Stell." And the line went dead.

Charles and Genni came in a while later to find me still sobbing on the desk. Neither said anything. They simply held me and let me cry.

That night, Sean sneaked out, presumably to go to the bar he frequented. And none of us ever saw him again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the angst in this one. And yes, it is two glimpses in one, because there was no way I was going to go into what Trask did to Sean. No freaking way.
> 
> This was a hard one for me to write, for a few reasons. It was hard to write how someone would feel, knowing they may never see their loved one again. My brother is in the Air Force, and he's been deployed in Afghanistan several times, leaving his wife and kids on their own. So that was rough. But the other reason was the subject matter of the Vietnam War. Now, I'm not going to get political here over the reasons or morals of it. But I respect the crap out of the men who went and fought, especially those who didn't necessarily agree with the war in the first place. My dad was one of them, and Alex was based very loosely on him in this. He did go to boot camp at Fort Leonard Wood, and there were plenty of guys who jumped on the plane to Vancouver instead of Hawaii and then on to Vietnam. And my dad, to his everlasting credit, considered it deeply, but in the end, he did his duty. This one goes out to all those incredible soldiers, who suffered through so much more than we could ever imagine. Thank you for your service.


	3. Chapter 3

The Mansion and the Hangar

"Auntie Stella!" Two little voices cried my name in tandem, causing me to whirl around in preparation for the onslaught I would be facing.

Sure enough, two small bodies collided with me and each other, hugging me around the knees. They talked over each other, both determined to tell me everything that had happened since I'd seen them at Christmas. I let them talk, loving every second of it, and when they finally slowed down, I gave them a conspiratory look. "You know, Martín and Cece are playing in their rooms." I hadn't even finished the sentence before they were off again. "Don't run in the house," I called after them, and they immediately slowed down.

"Why can't you behave for me like you do Auntie Stella?" Claire asked, finally coming into view, belly first.

"Because they like me better," I smirked, then gave her a hug.

"Clearly," she replied. "Never have twins, Stell. Just don't do it."

Arms wrapped around me, surprising me a bit, as Alex said, "But if we had twins, they would be so much better behaved than yours are."

"I hate you both," she groaned, pushing at her lower back. "I know it's only an hour from the city, but it's a killer hour."

"Well, you are nine months pregnant. Everything's killer at that stage," I commiserated.

Alex kissed my cheek quickly, then Claire's. "Is Hank bringing everything in?" he asked, already heading to the front of the school.

"Yes, thanks!" she called after him. Then, to me, she added, "I know why Hank wants me to have the baby here, but I think he's being just a tad ridiculous."

"He's just worried that one of your kids will be born blue and furry, and just about any hospital would react badly to that," I replied.

"I know," she sighed. "But can you imagine how cute a little blue baby would be?"

"His name could be Teddy," I added with a laugh.

Still giggling, we made our way to the room we'd set up for her. Hank lit up when he saw his wife, even though it had only been a few minutes since he'd last seen her. "I think it's time for a nap, love," he said, taking her from my arm and leading her toward the bed.

"But I'm not sleepy," Claire yawned at him.

"I'll keep an eye on the kids for you," I promised, then grabbed Alex's hand on my way to the door, leaving the two of them alone.

"Are the kids in their rooms?" Alex asked me.

"Yes, and it's past time to check on them," I said, suddenly remembering how long they had potentially been alone. That was never a good idea.

Alex and I exchanged a worried look, then began to hurry toward our little suite. Once there, we saw no sign of our children, or the McCoy children. "Split up, and tell Charles when one of us finds them?" he asked, citing our usual strategy.

"See you soon, hopefully," I said, heading down toward the bunker. It was a favorite spot for our whole family, and the kids loved to play there.

But there was no sign of my kids or Claire's there, though I did interrupt Scott and Jean. I tried not to laugh, but the blushes on both faces were far too entertaining to keep it all in.

Since I was outside, I decided to check in the hangar. I met Hank just outside it, where he wore a rather worried look. "Jason's been particularly interested in taking things apart lately, and Elizabeth just eggs him on," he said. "And the hangar has the biggest and most interesting things to take apart."

That sounded ominous. We hurried in, but the sight that greeted us stopped us in our tracks. Finally, Hank breathed out, "Uncle Alex is going to kill you for this."

Four little heads, two brunet and two blond, peeked out from among various parts of Alex's motorcycle. "Don't worry, Daddy, I can put it all back agether," Jason proclaimed proudly.

"An' I watched, so I can help, too," my little Cece said happily. Her brother didn't look so happy, once he saw my face.

"Daddy's not gonna be happy, is he?" Martín said, head hanging.

"Well, you know you're not supposed to use tools without Daddy, and you know how much he loves his motorcycle, so you tell me," I replied.

"But thankfully, Daddy loves you more than his motorcycle," Alex said, coming inside. He was visibly holding back his anger, trying not to yell at the kids. "So let's get to work on putting it together."

All four children cheered, immediately diving in to get started.


	4. Chapter 4

A Conference Room

"I hate stupid rich old men," I grumbled, pinning my hair up as Hank fixed his tie in the mirror next to me.

"You know you'll rip any and all arguments to complete and utter shreds," he said, kissing my neck. He dragged his claws gently up and down my arms, the way he knew gave me the shivers. "And that's why you deserve to be the CEO of Warren Enterprises. You're not just a pretty face with the right name. You've made this company what it is today."

I sighed, relaxing against my husband's chest. "You're right. I can do this. If I can birth three children, and then raise them, I can certainly tell off ten entitled old men."

"Mom, Jason is- Oh, you look so pretty!" Elizabeth squealed, stopping in the doorway of our bathroom. "That's your 'I'm going to war' suit, isn't it?"

The tailored dress and matching blazer definitely made a statement, and my daughter had nailed it exactly. "Yes. The board doesn't think that a mutant woman can handle the responsibility of running the company. I'm going to prove them wrong," I declared.

"Can we watch?" Jason asked, popping his head around the door.

"Unfortunately, no," Hank answered. "You have school today."

"But we would learn so much more from watching Mom!" Elizabeth argued. "After all, if we're going to someday run the company, wouldn't it be more educational to watch her successfully run it?"

"You are far too much like her as it is," Hank sighed.

"And unfortunately, if we allowed you to skip school for this, it would partially prove the board's point about us," I added.

"But Mom," the twins whined.

"No buts. Go finish getting ready, and Jay, quit doing whatever it was that made Lizzy run in here in the first place," I told them.

"And if you go now, I'll record Mom for you," Hank enticed.

They sighed, but did as they were told. Jason even helped his little brother get ready, as well. Then, with a quick check to make sure all backpacks were ready, we headed out to the elevator. Hank and I dropped Teddy off at my dad's apartment, then the twins at school, before making our way to the company headquarters.

We got a few funny looks due to Hank's furry blue appearance, but they were lessening each day. Soon, I hoped, they would cease all together. Striding toward the conference room like we owned the place, which, really, we did, I had to fight the smirk that wanted so desperately to cross my face. It wouldn't do to let the board members know they had already lost before the battle was even started.

"Gentlemen, good morning," I said, syrupy sweet. "I see that the early hour hasn't stopped you all from being here fifteen minutes ahead of time." I saw more than a few guilty looks, and that smirk really wanted to come out. They had tried to beat me at my own game, but they forgot who I learned everything from. Alexander Warren was a master manipulator, and I lived up to his inheritance.

"Good morning, Mrs. McCoy, Dr. McCoy," said Leonard Sharp, the one member that I wasn't planning on finding a replacement for rather quickly. He'd been one of my father's staunchest allies on the board, and that didn't change when the company came to me.

I smiled widely, letting them see all of my teeth. "Well, since we are all here, why don't we get started."

"Yes, let's," Albert Rand said, jumping in to cut me off before I could get anything out. "Mrs. McCoy, we on the board are very concerned for you. We know how difficult it must be, trying to raise three children while running the company at the same time. Why don't you let us find someone to step in, help out, so you're not so stressed."

"Your brother would make a fantastic substitute," offered Reginald Matheson eagerly.

I had to stifle a laugh. "My brother, Connor, who happens to be the captain of the Navy's largest aircraft carrier? Is that brother you meant? Because I'm not entirely sure the Navy would be willing to let him come fill in for me, even if he had even the slightest interest in doing so." Matheson shifted uncomfortably, but I refused to give him, or any of my detractors, quarter. This was war, after all. "Now, gentlemen. I know most of you had serious doubts when my father named me his successor. But you saw that I was good, no, let's not be modest here. I am utterly fantastic at my job. So you quieted down after a while. But then Teddy was born, and you all realized that my husband and I are both mutants."

I had to stop to calm myself down for a moment. After all, that's what this was really about. "When Teddy was born, and it quickly became obvious that he is a mutant, since he's blue, the world clamored for us to disown him, or hide him away. And among the very loudest of those voices were some of my very own board of directors. It must have come as a terrible shock to you when Hank and I came out as mutants, as well. And now, you've tried to use this against me, as one more thing to try to get me to step down. But let me assure you gentlemen of something." I paused for a moment, letting my gaze fall to each and every member, though most seemed incapable of meeting it. "I am more than capable of raising three children and running a company. Being a woman nor being a mutant is a disadvantage for me."

Silence filled the room for a very long moment. And then Leonard started clapping, followed immediately by Hank. Marge, the secretary who was there to take minutes, joined in enthusiastically, not caring when Albert started glaring at her. And then, a few others did, as well, taking their names off the replacement list. At least, for now.

"Now, gentlemen, shall we move on to our other business?" This time, I allowed my smirk out, letting them know they had lost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just for a little clarification, after Teddy was born and people realized he was a mutant, Hank stopped taking his serum for Teddy, and Hank and Claire announced that they were mutants, as well. Connor and Genni didn't, to protect his military career. And the kids are still a little young to go to Xavier's, as their powers haven't really developed yet.


	5. Chapter 5

The White House

The phone was ringing when we stepped through the front door. "I'll get it!" Teddy yelled as he ran, sliding to a stop by the telephone table. "Hullo?... Yes, it is,… Uh huh,... Dad, it's for you," he said, shoving the phone in my face.

Shaking my head at my son's antics, I put the receiver to my ear. "This is Hank McCoy."

"Hello, Dr. McCoy," a cool, feminine voice said. "Could you hold for President Reagan, please?"

"Of course," came out of my mouth before I actually thought about what she said. Then, as her words hit me, I blurted, "Wait, like the President-" But my ear was already filled with the sounds of hold music.

Claire gave me an odd, confused look, but I shook my head. I couldn't explain what I didn't understand myself. So she shook her head, then called out as she headed further into the apartment, "Teddy, you had better be finishing up packing, young man! I know the game was exciting, but you're leaving for school tomorrow, and you'd need to be packed by then!"

"Hello, Dr. McCoy? I hope I'm not interrupting anything at home," came the voice from the other line. One that unmistakably sounded like the President of the United States.

"Oh, um, not at all, Sir, I mean, Mr. President, Sir," I babbled. I could talk to four star generals and corporate giants, but talking to POTUS was something else entirely.

President Reagan laughed. "I've been hearing good things about you, Dr. McCoy. Not only are you incredibly intelligent and use that intellect for the betterment of our military, but you've managed to be quite the activist for mutant rights. I admire the brave way you've put yourself out there, both you and your wife, and proudly announced that you are mutants."

"Well, thank you, Sir, but everything I've done, I've done to make things better for my children," I said, finally finding my feet a bit in the conversation.

"And that is just one more thing to admire about you," he told me warmly. "A good man fighting for his family can do great things. And that is just what I wanted to speak with you about. Would you be able to come to Washington next week to speak with me, face to face? I would love to meet your lovely wife, as well."

"You want to meet with me?" To say I was flabbergasted was an understatement. "What for?"

"Well, I would like to speak with you about something that's been on my mind for a while. But I feel it would be better to speak face to face, if it's possible."

"Um, yes, of course. When would be best for you?"

We worked out a date, and then President Reagan said, "I am so looking forward to meeting with you, Dr. McCoy. I feel that we can do a lot of good together."

"I hope so, Sir," I agreed, though I had no idea what we would be doing together.

"What was that?" Claire asked, having come back and caught the tail end of the conversation.

"How would you like to go to Washington, D.C. next week?" I asked, slightly evading her question.

"Well, I have that board meeting on Monday, and you were supposed to meet with Howard Stark on Tuesday, but I suppose we could go later in the week," she answered slowly.

"Oh, good, because I have a meeting with President Reagan on Thursday," I said all in a rush.

"You- You what?"

I filled her in on my conversation with the President, and she was as astonished as I was. "What on earth could he possibly want with you?" she asked. I took no offense at her words, as I was wondering the same thing, myself.

…

The next Wednesday saw Claire and me flying into Washington, then staying the night in her favorite hotel. And then she fussed over our appearances for a good five minutes the next morning, before she would let us leave for the White House.

Both of us were nervous on the drive there, but I was the only one who showed it. She managed to look as cool as a cucumber, and the only way I knew she was nervous was because she kept projecting calm feelings over me, like she only ever did when she wasn't calm herself. That made me grin just a bit.

Once we arrived at the White House for the first time officially, she grinned to herself. "Remember when ol' Mags tried to hurt Alex, and Stella nearly killed him instead over there?"

The memories of our mission to save President Johnson washed over me, unexpectedly bringing a deeper sense of calm. After all, if I could fight one of the most powerful mutants and his minions, I could handle whatever President Reagan wanted from me.

Speaking of the President, he was waiting for us when we pulled to a stop. "Dr. McCoy, Mrs. McCoy, I'm delighted to meet you," he said, a bit of a showman's smile on his face. But I guess it would be hard to stop that, especially when the world's eye was on you constantly.

A Secret Service agent checked both my coat and Claire's, and her purse, before allowing us to shake hands with the President. "Let's talk in my office, shall we?" he suggested, then led the way.

It was when we were in the famed Oval Office that it really hit me. I was really talking with the President of the United States. He actually wanted to talk with me. I still had no idea why, but I had to contain my excitement.

Once we were settled on couches facing one another, President Reagan smiled again. "Thank you both for coming down here, and especially on such a short notice. Now, I'm sure you're curious to know why I asked to meet with you."

"Just a little," Claire said with a smile. The one that had everyone eating out of her hand every time.

And the President was no exception. He grinned back, more open now. "I've been thinking for quite some time now that we need to address the way this country deals with some of its citizens. Mutants are a growing percentage of our population, with more and more announcing themselves every day. They need someone who understands them, who can speak for them in our government, so I've decided to create the Mutant Affairs Office. And I would like for you to be its first Secretary and have a seat on my Cabinet."

He stunned me into silence. To have someone at the very top of our nation's government, not only accepting mutants, but outright wanting to help them, was utterly astonishing. After what felt like an eternity, I shook myself a bit. "It- It would be my honor, Mr. President."


	6. Chapter 6

Charles's Office

I was in the rec room working on some of the conjugating that Miss Stella had assigned us when Professor Xavier's voice filled my mind. "Anna Marie, can you come to my office, please?"

That was unexpected. We'd already had our session that morning, and I'd thought it had gone really well. "Sure, Professah. Ah'll be right there."

Collecting my things, I stood up. "Where are you going, Rogue? I thought we were going to work on our Spanish together," Theresa said, looking a bit upset at coming into the room just in time to see me leaving.

"The Professah wants to see me," I said. "But Ah should be back soon."

"Oh," she replied. "What does he want? I mean, you're not in trouble or anything, right?"

I shrugged, laughing a bit. "Guess Ah'll find out."

I made my way to the Professor's office, just as Remy was coming from the other direction. His eyes lit up when he saw me, causing butterflies to war with the sinking feeling that I knew why the Professor wanted to see me. "Hey, chere," he said, stopping in front of me. Which happened to be directly in front of the Professor's office door.

"Ya can't call me that," I hissed. "A' least not here."

"Chere, I'm pretty sure dat is why we're here in da first place," he said, smirking at me in that way he knew made my knees weak. "But don' worry. It's not like the Professor's gonna fire me. I'm too good of a teacher."

"Ya certainly have a good opinion a yarself," I grumbled, going to knock on the door.

"Ya know ya agree, chere," he grinned at me right as Professor Xavier called out, "Come in."

Remy opened the door for me, giving me one last cheeky grin before we both sat in front of the Professor.

"Now, I'm sure you both have figured out why I called you here to my office," he began.

But Remy couldn't keep his sarcasm to himself. "No, Professor, Remy has no idea." I elbowed him in the side, eliciting a yelp from him and the tiniest grin from the Professor.

"You have been very discreet, but I am a telepath. And Anna Marie, we've been working so closely together to help you control your power that it's been impossible for me to not hear some of your thoughts. I know you've been working so hard for control so you might be able to further your relationship with Remy."

I was beyond mortified. When he put it like that, it made me sound so… bad. After all, a Southern lady was always the epitome of grace and decorum, my mama's voice sang in my head. And I might have taken the girl out of the South, but I couldn't take the South out of me.

The Professor started speaking again. "Now, I know that you are over eighteen, Anna Marie, but you are still a student." Remy chuckled softly, and I elbowed him again. This was no time for his sarcasm to come out to play. This was serious. "Technically, there are rules against students and faculty dating, but with you being so close to graduating, as long as you're very circumspect around others, I don't have a problem."

My jaw dropped open in shock. That was not what I'd been expecting to hear from him. A glance at Remy told me he felt the same. "Ya… Ya don' mind if we keep datin'?" I finally managed to get out.

"I would prefer if you waited until after June fifteenth, but I also know how unlikely that is," Professor Xavier chuckled. "Plus, I've had a bit of forewarning. And you're hardly the first couple to find themselves in this situation. Now, please, keep your relationship quiet for the next month."

Remy and I agreed mutely, then quickly saw ourselves out. "Dat went better dan expected," he laughed, once the door was closed behind us.

"Ya're the biggest idiot Ah've eva met," I said, laughing as well.

"But I'm your idiot, chere. Now, I tink we should go practice how well ya've got dose powers under control."

"Ah'd love to, but Ah promised Theresa I'd work on our Spanish," I said regretfully.

"I still don' know why ya won' let me teach ya French, instead," he grumbled, pouting adorably.

"'Cause Ah'd get too distracted by the gorgeous teachah to learn even one word." That perked him right up. "An' besides, ya can teach me some French latah, ya know, once Ah've gotten my powah real under control."

Remy smirked, then kissed my hair. "I like da way ya tink, chere."


End file.
